


Aeontale

by a_river_is_a_liminal_space



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Determination (Undertale), Determination Experiments (Undertale), Monster Magic (Undertale), The Core (Undertale), Undertale Alternate Universes, Undertale Genocide Route, undertale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:35:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29895723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_river_is_a_liminal_space/pseuds/a_river_is_a_liminal_space
Summary: How many resets? A hundred? A thousand? A million? How many does it take? How many before there's nothing left at all? And even then... Will the human ever stop? It all begins with a question from Sans about why the human keeps resetting. A question that the human...answers.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	1. Dark Darker Yet Darker

Entry Number 0

✋︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ✋︎ ❖︎♏︎■︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎📬︎

[I︎t︎ h︎a︎s︎ b︎e︎e︎n︎ s︎o︎m︎e︎ t︎i︎m︎e︎ s︎i︎n︎c︎e︎ I︎ v︎e︎n︎t︎u︎r︎e︎d︎ o︎u︎t︎ i︎n︎t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ r︎e︎s︎t︎ o︎f︎ t︎h︎e︎ U︎n︎d︎e︎r︎g︎r︎o︎u︎n︎d︎.︎]

☟︎□︎⬥︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎✍︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎■︎🕯︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ♏︎⌧︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎●︎⍓︎📬︎

[H︎o︎w︎ l︎o︎n︎g︎?︎ I︎ d︎o︎n︎'︎t︎ kn︎o︎w︎ e︎x︎a︎c︎t︎l︎y︎.︎]

❄︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ⬧︎❍︎♋︎●︎●︎ ⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ♍︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♎︎♏︎♏︎◻︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♏︎❒︎❒︎♓︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎ □︎♐︎ 🕈︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♐︎♋︎●︎●︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ⬧︎♏︎❒︎❖︎♏︎♎︎ ❍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♏︎●︎●︎📬︎

[T︎h︎i︎s︎ s︎m︎a︎l︎l︎ s︎i︎d︎e︎ c︎a︎v︎e︎ d︎e︎e︎p︎ i︎n︎ t︎h︎e︎ t︎e︎r︎r︎i︎t︎o︎r︎y︎ o︎f︎ W︎a︎t︎e︎r︎f︎a︎l︎l︎ h︎a︎s︎ s︎e︎r︎v︎e︎d︎ m︎e︎ w︎e︎l︎l︎.︎]

🕈︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♋︎♓︎♎︎ □︎♐︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ❍︎♋︎♍︎♒︎♓︎■︎♏︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ❍︎♋︎■︎♋︎♑︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ 🙵♏︎♏︎◻︎ ❍︎⍓︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ●︎♏︎♋︎⬧︎⧫︎ ◻︎♋︎❒︎⧫︎♓︎♋︎●︎●︎⍓︎ ♍︎□︎❒︎◻︎□︎❒︎♏︎♋︎●︎📬︎

[W︎i︎t︎h︎ t︎h︎e︎ a︎i︎d︎ o︎f︎ s︎o︎m︎e︎ o︎f︎ m︎y︎ m︎a︎c︎h︎i︎n︎e︎s︎ I︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ m︎a︎n︎a︎g︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ keep m︎y︎s︎e︎l︎f︎ a︎t︎ l︎e︎a︎s︎t︎ p︎a︎r︎t︎i︎a︎l︎l︎y︎ c︎o︎r︎p︎o︎r︎e︎a︎l︎.︎]

🕈︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ✋︎ ♐︎♏︎●︎●︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 👍︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ✋︎ □︎◆︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[W︎h︎e︎n︎ I︎ f︎e︎l︎l︎ i︎n︎t︎o︎ t︎h︎e︎ C︎o︎r︎e︎ I︎ o︎u︎g︎h︎t︎ t︎o︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ p︎e︎r︎i︎s︎h︎e︎d︎.︎]

✡︎♏︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎⬧︎◻︎□︎❒︎⧫︎ ❍︎⍓︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎ ♋︎⬥︎♋︎⍓︎📪︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ♌︎◆︎❒︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 👎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ☞︎◆︎♏︎●︎♏︎♎︎ 🏱︎●︎♋︎⬧︎❍︎♋︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♍︎♒︎◆︎❒︎■︎⬧︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎♏︎♋︎❒︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎📬︎

[Y︎e︎t︎ I︎ w︎a︎s︎ a︎b︎l︎e︎ t︎o︎ t︎r︎a︎n︎s︎p︎o︎r︎t︎ m︎y︎s︎e︎l︎f︎ a︎w︎a︎y︎,︎ s︎t︎i︎l︎l︎ b︎u︎r︎n︎i︎n︎g︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎ t︎h︎e︎ D︎e︎t︎e︎r︎m︎i︎n︎a︎t︎i︎o︎n︎ F︎u︎e︎l︎e︎d︎ P︎l︎a︎s︎m︎a︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ c︎h︎u︎r︎n︎s︎ a︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎ h︎e︎a︎r︎t︎ o︎f︎ m︎y︎ c︎r︎e︎a︎t︎i︎o︎n︎.︎]

💧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ✋︎ ♌︎◆︎❒︎■︎♏︎♎︎📪︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎□︎🙵 ❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ 🕈︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♐︎♋︎●︎●︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♎︎□︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♐︎●︎♋︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎

[S︎i︎n︎c︎e︎ I︎ b︎u︎r︎n︎e︎d︎,︎ m︎y︎ t︎h︎o︎u︎g︎h︎t︎s︎ t︎o︎o︎k m︎e︎ t︎o︎ W︎a︎t︎e︎r︎f︎a︎l︎l︎ w︎h︎e︎r︎e︎ I︎ w︎a︎s︎ a︎b︎l︎e︎ t︎o︎ d︎o︎u︎s︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎ f︎l︎a︎m︎e︎s︎.︎]

👌︎◆︎⧫︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ❒︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♐︎♋︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ◻︎♒︎⍓︎⬧︎♓︎♍︎♋︎●︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♑︎♓︎■︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♍︎□︎●︎●︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎

[B︎u︎t︎ s︎o︎m︎e︎t︎h︎i︎n︎g︎ w︎a︎s︎ n︎o︎t︎ r︎i︎g︎h︎t︎.︎ I︎ c︎o︎u︎l︎d︎ f︎e︎e︎l︎ t︎h︎e︎ p︎o︎w︎e︎r︎ o︎f︎ m︎y︎ s︎o︎u︎l︎ f︎a︎d︎i︎n︎g︎ a︎n︎d︎ m︎y︎ p︎h︎y︎s︎i︎c︎a︎l︎ f︎o︎r︎m︎ w︎a︎s︎ b︎e︎g︎i︎n︎n︎i︎n︎g︎ t︎o︎ c︎o︎l︎l︎a︎p︎s︎e︎.︎]

✋︎ ♎︎❒︎♋︎♑︎♑︎♏︎♎︎ ❍︎⍓︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ♍︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♏︎❍︎◻︎⧫︎⍓︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ✋︎ ♐︎♏︎●︎●︎ ◆︎■︎♍︎□︎■︎⬧︎♍︎♓︎□︎◆︎⬧︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♋︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📬︎

[I︎ d︎r︎a︎g︎g︎e︎d︎ m︎y︎s︎e︎l︎f︎ t︎o︎ a︎ s︎i︎d︎e︎ c︎a︎v︎e︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ a︎p︎p︎e︎a︎r︎e︎d︎ t︎o︎ b︎e︎ e︎m︎p︎t︎y︎ a︎n︎d︎ I︎ f︎e︎l︎l︎ u︎n︎c︎o︎n︎s︎c︎i︎o︎u︎s︎ f︎o︎r︎ a︎ l︎o︎n︎g︎ t︎i︎m︎e︎.︎]

Entry Number 1

☜︎❖︎♏︎■︎⧫︎◆︎♋︎●︎●︎⍓︎ ✋︎ ♋︎⬥︎□︎🙵♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ □︎■︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎♏︎❒︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♎︎♓︎⬧︎♍︎□︎❖︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ❍︎♏︎📬︎

[Eventually I awoke when one of my former lab assistants discovered me.]

✋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎📪︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♏︎⌧︎◻︎●︎□︎⬧︎♓︎□︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎●︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎♎︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎♍︎♍︎♓︎♎︎♏︎■︎⧫︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 👍︎□︎❒︎♏︎🕯︎⬧︎ ❒︎♋︎♎︎♓︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ♋︎♐︎♐︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎□︎■︎♏︎ ■︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♌︎⍓︎📬︎

[It seems, in the explosion that followed my accident, that the Core's radiation had affected everyone nearby.]

🕈︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ♑︎♋︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎♑︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎♋︎⬥︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♐︎◆︎●︎●︎ ♏︎⌧︎⧫︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♎︎♋︎❍︎♋︎♑︎♏︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎□︎●︎□︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ●︎♏︎♏︎♍︎♒︎♏︎♎︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ♌︎□︎♎︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎●︎❍︎□︎⬧︎⧫︎ ⌘︎□︎❍︎♌︎♓︎♏︎📫︎●︎♓︎🙵♏︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ❍︎♓︎■︎♎︎⬧︎📪︎ ⬥︎♒︎♓︎●︎♏︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ⬧︎♒︎♋︎❒︎◻︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⬥︎♋︎❒︎◻︎♏︎♎︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ❍︎◆︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ❑︎◆︎♓︎♏︎⧫︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♍︎❒︎⍓︎◻︎⧫︎♓︎♍︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♋︎❒︎🙵⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎♎︎●︎⍓︎ ♐︎●︎♏︎⬥︎ □︎♐︎♐︎ ⧫︎□︎◻︎♓︎♍︎ ♓︎♐︎ ✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♎︎♓︎❒︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♌︎♋︎♍︎🙵 □︎■︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎❒︎⬧︎♏︎ ❑︎◆︎♓︎♍︎🙵●︎⍓︎ ♏︎■︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎📬︎

[When they all gathered together I saw the full extent of the damage. The color had been leeched from their bodies and they appeared almost zombie-like. Their minds, while as sharp as ever, appeared to have been warped somewhat as they all muttered quiet and cryptic remarks that wildly flew off topic if I did not direct it back on course quickly enough.]

🕈︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ♒︎♏︎●︎◻︎ ✋︎ ❑︎◆︎♓︎♍︎🙵●︎⍓︎ ♎︎♓︎⬧︎♍︎□︎❖︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎❖︎♓︎❖︎♏︎♎︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ♎︎◆︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♍︎♏︎❒︎⧫︎♋︎♓︎■︎ ♑︎♏︎□︎●︎□︎♑︎♓︎♍︎♋︎●︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎●︎●︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ◻︎♋︎❒︎⧫︎♓︎♍︎◆︎●︎♋︎❒︎ ♍︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ◆︎■︎♓︎❑︎◆︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕈︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♐︎♋︎●︎●︎ ❒︎♏︎♑︎♓︎□︎■︎📬︎

[With their help I quickly discovered that I had survived only due to certain geological formations in the walls of this particular cave that were unique to the Waterfall region.]

✋︎⧫︎ ❍︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ♌︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎♍︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 👌︎♋︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♏︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ❍︎□︎❖︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎❒︎♓︎◻︎◻︎♓︎■︎♑︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ◆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎□︎■︎♏︎ ■︎♏︎⬥︎ ♍︎♒︎♏︎❍︎♓︎♍︎♋︎●︎ ❒︎♏︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♒︎♓︎♍︎♒︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎♏︎♎︎ ◆︎■︎♓︎❑︎◆︎♏︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎⬧︎📬︎

[It might be that the magic of the Barrier has interacted with the constant moving and dripping of the water and undergone new chemical reactions which have formed unique formations.]

✋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♐︎♋︎⬧︎♍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎

[It is fascinating.]

✡︎♏︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ⍓︎♏︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♋︎♐︎♏︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ 🙵♏︎◻︎⧫︎ ❍︎♏︎ ♋︎●︎♓︎❖︎♏︎📪︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ♐︎♋︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ❍︎◆︎♍︎♒︎ ⬧︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ◻︎♋︎♍︎♏︎📬︎

[Yet I was not yet safe. Though the cave kept me alive, I was still fading at a much slower pace.]

💣︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♌︎◆︎♓︎●︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎❍︎♋︎●︎●︎♏︎❒︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎♓︎□︎■︎ □︎♐︎ □︎■︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ □︎⬥︎■︎ ❍︎♋︎♍︎♒︎♓︎■︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♒︎♏︎●︎◻︎ ❍︎♏︎ 🙵♏︎♏︎◻︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ 👎︎❄︎ ☜︎⌧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎□︎❒︎📬︎

[My assistants built a smaller version of one of my own machines to help me keep my form. The DT Extractor.]

✋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ 👎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♌︎♏︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ♎︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎□︎◆︎⬧︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ 💣︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ●︎♋︎❒︎♑︎♏︎ ♎︎□︎⬧︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎ 💣︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎◆︎♎︎⍓︎ ❍︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ♌︎♏︎ ■︎♏︎♍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎♋︎❒︎⍓︎ □︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎♍︎□︎❖︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[It seems that Determination can be very dangerous for Monsters in large doses. More study might be necessary once I have recovered.]


	2. The Name of a River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans misuses public transportation and Gaster begins to ponder the situation he is in.

“Tra la la!” sang the River Person happily as the river carried them swiftly through the dark tunnels. Droplets steadily fell from stalactites into the deep waters below.

Most rivers have names to help people identify which river you’re talking about or to give it a sense of aesthetic or personality somehow. In olden days some even believed that the rivers had gods and spirits associated with them and the river was often named after them. This river, however, was quite simply named “The River.” This was partially because it was the largest and only river in the entirety of the Underground. It was also partially because the King was truly awful when it came to naming things.

Nobody minded this sort of thing much. While the names were not particularly imaginative, at least they were on the nose about the thing they were naming. The River Person himself had never minded the fact that the River was just called “River” or “The River” just the same as he had never minded the fact that he was called “The River Person” by everyone in the Underground. It wasn’t his real name, but it described him so well that he had grown fond of it.

The person sitting behind him in the boat, however, was not in the least bit content with it.

“So, ya gonna tell me your name today, buddy?” the skeleton asked. He came by at least once per day to ask the same question, though the way he asked it varied. When he invariably failed to get an answer that made sense he usually turned to puns.

“Radioactive Toast goes well with cheese and a nice jug of honey mead,” the River Person told the skeleton shortly. It was complete nonsense, of course. But it was entertaining to see the skeleton attempting to scowl through his perpetual smile.

It wasn’t as if they were strangers to each other, he’d met everyone in the Underground at least once. Several people he’d met at least twice. And this skeleton was particularly well known around Snowdin town, one of the furthest outposts of the Underground’s Capital City. Sans was quite the character and was liked by most of those who knew him, despite his puns.

As they neared the snow covered shore of Snowdin, another skeleton could be seen. Much taller and wearing what appeared to be a white chest plate with golden trim, blue briefs, a short orange cape that waved out behind him, and a lovely golden belt. On anyone else the Battle Body, as they called it, would have looked ridiculous. But the River Person felt that Papyrus pulled it off rather well...and it fit with his personality.

Papyrus was tapping his foot impatiently as the boat pulled up against the edge. “SANS!” he said in an inside voice that anyone else would have described as an outside voice. “WHY ON EARTH DIDN’T YOU JUST TAKE ONE OF YOUR SHORT CUTS? SINCE WHEN DO YOU USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION?”

Sans grinned, you could only tell the difference from the twinkle of mischief in his eye sockets. “C’mon bro. I just wanted to see how other people get around. I have to say that this boat stuff is...ferry impressive.”

“SANS...”

“In fact,” continued Sans as if he hadn’t heard. “I think its aboat time I took the scenic route.”

“SANS PLEASE...”

“In fact I think I might take this ride more often. Getting to laze about while someone else does the work has me in ecsta-sea.”

Papyrus actually groaned and face palmed, making a very soft clinking sound as his gloved bony hands bumped his skull. Sans was already giggling uncontrollably as the River Person carefully tied the boat to a wooden stake and prepared to go ashore. He was pretending to ignore them, but he couldn’t help shaking from silent laughter as the conversation went on.

“SANS,” Papyrus said as he glared down into the boat. “JUST GET OUT OF THERE AND COME HELP ME. WE NEED TO GET GROCERIES SO I CAN MAKE DINNER TONIGHT AND YOU PROMISED TO HELP.”

“Shore, Bro.” Sans said which caused Papyrus to sniff in fury and turn away from the boat, only to find that Sans was already out and on the other side. The River Person watched out of the corner of his eye as the taller skeleton did a double take and spluttered indignantly, both about how fast Sans could be when he wanted to be and the newest pun.

They were easily the most entertaining thing most days, considered the River Person as he watched them head into town. But sometimes there were other interesting things that turned up. 

Entry Number 2

💣︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♏︎●︎●︎ ❍︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎📬︎

[My assistants tell me of something very strange.]

✋︎ ♋︎❍︎ ♌︎♏︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♑︎□︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎♒︎□︎⬥︎📬︎

[I am being forgotten somehow.]

☜︎❖︎♏︎■︎ ✌︎⬧︎♑︎□︎❒︎♏︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 😐︎♓︎■︎♑︎📪︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎🕯︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ❒︎□︎⍓︎♋︎●︎ 💧︎♍︎♓︎♏︎■︎⧫︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ◆︎■︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ♒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♓︎■︎♎︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[Even Asgore, the King, can't seem to remember that there ever was a royal Scientist at all unless he is reminded.]

✋︎ ⬧︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ □︎●︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎📪︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♐︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ■︎♋︎❍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♑︎♓︎■︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♐︎♋︎♎︎♏︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎📬︎

[I sent for some of my old notes from the lab, and found that my name was beginning to fade from them.]

💧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎📬︎ ☟︎□︎⬥︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎📬︎

[Strange. How very strange.]


	3. Dust

Dust. Grey dust coated the earth like a light fall of snow. Yet even the most simple monster of Snowdin Town would know that this was not snowfall, but something more terrible. A red scarf abandoned amidst the snow and dust. What took place here? Who stood here once? Someone brave? Someone kind? Someone true?

Perhaps it was a great hero, a captain of some royal guard? A person they might recount in stories as having done brave deeds and won the hearts of all they came across? Perhaps not...yet maybe they deserved that fate more than the fate which was dealt to them.

For a long time there was only silence, then the crunch of snow as someone approached. A pair of pink bedroom slippers disturbed the drifts as their wearer trudged closer.

A skeletal hand retrieved the scarf and held it tightly. “Again? Why do we have to keep going?” asked Sans in a voice so tired and fragile that he himself could have been ground to dust as well by even the lightest breeze. “C’mon kid, what do you get out of all this?”

His question lingered on the air, almost as if waiting for someone to arrive and provide an answer to his grief and growing despair.

But nobody came...

***

Entry Number 3

❄︎❒︎♋︎♑︎♏︎♎︎⍓︎📬︎

[T︎r︎a︎g︎e︎d︎y︎.︎]

🕈︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ❍︎♏︎✍︎

[W︎h︎a︎t︎ i︎s︎ h︎a︎p︎p︎e︎n︎i︎n︎g︎ o︎u︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎r︎e︎ w︎i︎t︎h︎o︎u︎t︎ m︎e︎?︎]

✋︎ ●︎♏︎♋︎❒︎■︎♏︎♎︎ ⍓︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♎︎♋︎⍓︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ 🕿︎□︎♎︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ■︎□︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎ ❒︎♏︎♍︎♋︎●︎●︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ■︎♋︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎✆︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🏱︎❒︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ 🏱︎❒︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♌︎□︎⧫︎♒︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[I︎ l︎e︎a︎r︎n︎e︎d︎ y︎e︎s︎t︎e︎r︎d︎a︎y︎ f︎r︎o︎m︎ m︎y︎ a︎s︎s︎i︎s︎t︎a︎n︎t︎s︎ (︎o︎d︎d︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ I︎ c︎a︎n︎ n︎o︎ l︎o︎n︎g︎e︎r︎ r︎e︎c︎a︎l︎l︎ a︎n︎y︎ o︎f︎ t︎h︎e︎i︎r︎ n︎a︎m︎e︎s︎)︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎ P︎r︎i︎n︎c︎e︎ a︎n︎d︎ P︎r︎i︎n︎c︎e︎s︎s︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ b︎o︎t︎h︎ p︎e︎r︎i︎s︎h︎e︎d︎.︎]

⚐︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ❑︎◆︎♓︎⧫︎♏︎ ♍︎●︎□︎⬧︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ✌︎⬧︎♑︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ❄︎□︎❒︎♓︎♏︎●︎📬︎ ✋︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♑︎□︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎♐︎□︎❒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎📬︎📬︎📬︎

[O︎n︎c︎e︎ I︎ w︎a︎s︎ q︎u︎i︎t︎e︎ c︎l︎o︎s︎e︎ t︎o︎ A︎s︎g︎o︎r︎e︎ a︎n︎d︎ T︎o︎r︎i︎e︎l︎.︎ I︎ l︎o︎n︎g︎ t︎o︎ g︎o︎ a︎n︎d︎ c︎o︎m︎f︎o︎r︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎m︎.︎.︎.︎]

👌︎◆︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♐︎♏︎♋︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ■︎□︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♏︎📬︎

[B︎u︎t︎ I︎ f︎e︎a︎r︎ t︎h︎a︎t︎ t︎h︎e︎y︎ w︎o︎u︎l︎d︎ n︎o︎ l︎o︎n︎g︎e︎r︎ r︎e︎m︎e︎m︎b︎e︎r︎ m︎e︎.︎]

✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ♓︎❍︎♋︎♑︎♓︎■︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♌︎♏︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ●︎□︎⬧︎♏︎ ♋︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎📬︎

[I︎ c︎a︎n︎n︎o︎t︎ i︎m︎a︎g︎i︎n︎e︎ w︎h︎a︎t︎ i︎t︎ w︎o︎u︎l︎d︎ b︎e︎ l︎i︎ke︎ t︎o︎ l︎o︎s︎e︎ a︎ c︎h︎i︎l︎d︎.︎]

👎︎□︎ ❍︎⍓︎ □︎⬥︎■︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎❒︎♏︎■︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎■︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♏︎✍︎ ⚐︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♑︎□︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♏︎●︎●︎✍︎ 💣︎♏︎❍︎□︎❒︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ ♐︎♋︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♒︎♋︎♎︎□︎⬥︎📬︎📬︎📬︎

[D︎o︎ m︎y︎ o︎w︎n︎ c︎h︎i︎l︎d︎r︎e︎n︎ e︎v︎e︎n︎ r︎e︎m︎e︎m︎b︎e︎r︎ m︎e︎?︎ O︎r︎ h︎a︎v︎e︎ t︎h︎e︎y︎ f︎o︎r︎g︎o︎t︎t︎e︎n︎ a︎s︎ w︎e︎l︎l︎?︎ M︎e︎m︎o︎r︎i︎e︎s︎ f︎a︎d︎i︎n︎g︎ i︎n︎t︎o︎ s︎h︎a︎d︎o︎w︎.︎.︎.︎]

***

All that can be heard is the dripping of water on stone. Droplets fall from stalactites far above and down to splash upon the head of a stone figure. A statue, hunched over as if praying. They say it was built by the King a long time ago, a memory of his son, but as he might have been had he the time to grow up. It has sat here in loneliness for a long time.

A Temmie quietly peers from a ledge far above as someone treads the path far below, footsteps slapping against the wet stone of Waterfall. They pause to look at the statue and then move on without a word. The Temmie waits...it is not the first time they’ve seen this. Yes, a moment later the little human returns and places an umbrella over the statue.

As the water logged mechanism in the statue finally has a chance to drain, the music box begins to play a haunting melody. The human listens for a time, and even the Temmie cannot help but relax to the song. But eventually the human continues on into the ever falling rain.

The Temmie watches them go. Another genocide route...but why did they always return to cover the statue with an umbrella? So strange.

***

Entry Number 4

✌︎ ■︎♏︎⬥︎ ☼︎□︎⍓︎♋︎●︎ 💧︎♍︎♓︎♏︎■︎⧫︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎◻︎◻︎□︎♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎📬︎ ✌︎ ⬧︎♋︎◆︎❒︎♓︎♋︎■︎ ■︎♋︎❍︎♏︎♎︎ ✌︎●︎◻︎♒︎⍓︎⬧︎📬︎

[A new Royal Scientist has been appointed. A saurian named Alphys.]

✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ■︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ❍︎♏︎⧫︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♏︎●︎●︎ ❍︎♏︎ ⬧︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ♌︎❒︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♍︎●︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ♋︎ ♌︎♓︎⧫︎ □︎♎︎♎︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎■︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📬︎

[I have never met her, but my assistants tell me she seems bright and clever, though a bit odd with her anime.]

✋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎□︎⧫︎♋︎●︎●︎⍓︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♑︎□︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎📬︎

[It seems I have been totally forgotten.]

👌︎♋︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ □︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎❒︎◆︎❍︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ❒︎♏︎♋︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♏︎■︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♏︎❍︎◻︎□︎❒︎♋︎❒︎⍓︎ ●︎♋︎♌︎□︎❒︎♋︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎📪︎ ✋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ❍︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♐︎❒︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎♒︎□︎⬥︎📬︎

[Based on the instrument readings I have taken here in my temporary laboratory, It seems I might have been fractured somehow.]

💧︎◻︎❒︎♏︎♋︎♎︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ ♋︎♍︎❒︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⬧︎◻︎♋︎♍︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♍︎♏︎📪︎ ♒︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⬧︎●︎♓︎❍︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ❍︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ♌︎♏︎ ◻︎◆︎⧫︎ ♌︎♋︎♍︎🙵 ⧫︎□︎♑︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎◻︎♏︎❒︎●︎⍓︎📬︎📬︎📬︎

[Spread out across space and time. There is a chance, however slim, that I might be put back together properly...]

☟︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ❍︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♎︎□︎ ⬧︎□︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♋︎⬧︎⧫︎❒︎□︎■︎□︎❍︎♓︎♍︎♋︎●︎📬︎ 🕈︎♏︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎ ♎︎□︎■︎🕯︎⧫︎ ♋︎♑︎♏︎ ◆︎■︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎❒︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎□︎■︎🕯︎⧫︎ ♎︎♓︎♏︎ ◆︎■︎⧫︎♓︎●︎ ♏︎⌧︎⧫︎❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎ ♋︎♑︎♏︎ □︎❒︎ ⬥︎♏︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ 🙵♓︎●︎●︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[However the time it might take to do so would be astronomical. We monsters don't age unless we have children and don't die until extreme age or we are killed.]

✋︎ ⬥︎□︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎♐︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎■︎ ♎︎♓︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ⬧︎◆︎♍︎♒︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎✍︎ 🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♋︎❍︎ ⧫︎□︎□︎ ⬧︎♍︎♋︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[I wonder if I can even die in such a state? Perhaps I am too scattered.]

👌︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎ ◻︎□︎♓︎■︎⧫︎ ♓︎■︎ ♎︎□︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎♒︎♋︎●︎●︎ ♌︎♏︎♑︎♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎♍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ♑︎♋︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❍︎⍓︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎ □︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎📪︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♋︎♓︎♎︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ●︎□︎⍓︎♋︎●︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎📬︎ 🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ❒︎♏︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎■︎ ♏︎■︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♒︎♏︎●︎◻︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♏︎●︎●︎📬︎

[But there is no point in doing nothing. I shall begin the process of gathering myself once more, with the aid of my loyal assistants. Perhaps in time I can return enough to help them as well.]


	4. A Battle Against a True Hero

Belching hot flames and funnels of smoke. The metal walkways were coated in layers of specialized paint to keep them from melting in the subterranean magma chambers. Hot light glowed from below like some aging sun brought enormously close and beneath. The rumbling of shifting tectonic plates and moving molten stone was near deafening.

In a large laboratory built on an island of stone jutting up and out from the lakes of fire below a Saurian was desperately directing her attention to a large computer screen. Its displays showed the live camera feed of a much darker cavern. A tall aquatic monster with red hair, armor, and a thousand shining magical spears faced the most deadly of opponents...a human child...armed only with an unusually sharp toy knife and a demonic smile. Coating the child’s hands and sweater was fine white dust.

Sweat poured down Alphy’s face as she knocked aside scattered magazines with anime characters plastered on their covers. Paper cups filled with long cooled ramen noodles sat forgotten and uneaten near to her hand. Tap tap tap her claws scrabbled against the keys and dials as she tried to find a way to help or even just to hear.

“THIS WAY, DARLINGS!” boomed an electronic voice loudly as a square robot figure somehow speeding along on only a single wheel ushered frantic crowds into the building and into the elevator group by group. There were hundreds, and many still sobbed at the loss of loved ones or searched desperately for missing family members and friends as they were herded quickly into the lower labs. 

Still Alphys did not tear her eyes away from the screen, even as the figure she stared at began to crumble before her very eyes. “Undyne no!” she yelled in frustration and grief as she stood there, unable to help.

Then the unthinkable, the strange and wondrous. Undyne spoke, though they could not hear her words. The lab was silent as frozen faces stared at the screen, hundreds of gathered eyes watching as their hero fought to stand straight despite her very body trying so hard to give in and vanish to dust.

She spoke and something was there in here eyes. She spoke and they did not hear her words, yet they knew them. Each heart beat in time with hers, each soul resonated with a song. A song for her.

A true hero.

And somehow her form stopped crumbling but came together. Her eye patch was ripped from her face and light shone forth in blinding rays. Armor reformed greater than ever before and her smile was radiant as her heart beat in time with the whole world.

Each and every monster in the Underground could feel her, was there with her. Even if they could not see her, or had never met her in person. They were there, standing beside her.

And she fought. Spears flew and the very earth shook with the force of her courage, with her desire for justice. It seemed for a time as if she could never be beaten, as if she would rise against the tide of evil and stand firm.

Yet Determination would not be stopped.

A final slash and the warrior fell to her knees. Her smile did not diminish, nor did her courage as she spoke her final words. Those in the lab could not hear her, but they watched her as she threw her head back and laughed. They saw the proud set of her shoulders. And they saw her body shake with effort even as it dripped with determination and sweat.

They saw her last breath as she crumbled to dust, scattering to the breezes that flowed from the volcanic Hotlands and down into Waterfall. Her dust covering the land she had loved all her life.

“UNDYNE!” screamed Alyphs as she pounded at the screen, all her worries and insecurities forgotten, her fears cast to the wayside in her grief. Metal arms grabbed her and pulled her back as the broken screen went blank. Mettaton pulled her, still screaming, into the elevators as the last of the refugees boarded. The doors closed and the lab fell silent.

Silent.

***

Entry Number 5

✋︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎♑︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎ ⚐︎❒︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ⬧︎♒︎□︎❒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📬︎

[It has been ages. Or perhaps a very short time.]

✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♏︎●︎●︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎📬︎

[I cannot tell anymore. I have seen something very strange.]

💣︎⍓︎ ❍︎♋︎♍︎♒︎♓︎■︎♏︎⬧︎ □︎◻︎♏︎❒︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎ ⬥︎♏︎●︎●︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♎︎♋︎❒︎🙵 ●︎♓︎⧫︎⧫︎●︎♏︎ ♍︎♋︎❖︎♏︎📪︎ ♓︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♎︎□︎□︎❒︎ ♍︎♋︎❒︎♏︎♐︎◆︎●︎●︎⍓︎ ♒︎♓︎♎︎♎︎♏︎■︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ♍︎♏︎❒︎⧫︎♋︎♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎♍︎♏︎📪︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎◻︎◻︎♏︎♋︎❒︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ♍︎♓︎❒︎♍︎◆︎❍︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎♍︎♏︎⬧︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ 🙰◆︎⬧︎⧫︎ ❒︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎📬︎

[My machines operate well here in my dark little cave, its door carefully hidden within a very certain time and place, only to appear when all circumstances are just right.]

👌︎◆︎⧫︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❒︎♏︎◻︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎📬︎ 💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♋︎⍓︎ ♌︎♏︎♐︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ♋︎ ❒︎♏︎◻︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎📪︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ❍︎◆︎♍︎♒︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎📬︎

[But outside the world seems to repeat itself. Sometimes only a day before a repeat, sometimes much longer.]

💣︎⍓︎ ■︎♋︎❍︎♏︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⬧︎♍︎□︎◆︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♐︎❒︎♋︎♑︎❍︎♏︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎♏︎📪︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⍓︎♏︎⧫︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♏︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♎︎♋︎⍓︎ ◻︎❒︎♏︎❖︎♓︎□︎◆︎⬧︎ □︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎□︎●︎♎︎ ❍︎♏︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎●︎❒︎♏︎♋︎♎︎⍓︎📬︎

[My nameless assistants scour the Underground for fragments of me, and yet sometimes they cannot remember having come the day previous or having told me something already.]

❄︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⬧︎◻︎♏︎♋︎🙵 □︎♐︎ ♋︎ ☞︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ♋︎ ♐︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎◻︎♏︎♋︎🙵⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⬧︎❍︎♓︎●︎♏︎⬧︎📪︎ ♋︎ ♑︎□︎●︎♎︎♏︎■︎ ♐︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎📬︎

[They speak of a Flower, a flower that speaks and smiles, a golden flower.]

💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♒︎♏︎●︎◻︎⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎⧫︎ ●︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎■︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎♎︎❖︎♓︎⬧︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎ 👌︎◆︎⧫︎📬︎📬︎📬︎💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ♍︎❒︎◆︎♏︎●︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎□︎◆︎⬧︎📪︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♎︎♏︎❖︎♋︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎📬︎

[Sometimes it helps. It listens and advises. But...Sometimes it is cruel and dangerous, causing devastation.]

🕈︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♐︎□︎◆︎●︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎✍︎ ✋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ■︎□︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ♒︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♎︎ □︎♐︎📬︎

[What is this foul creature? It is like no monster I have ever heard of.]

✋︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♏︎♏︎◻︎ ◆︎■︎♏︎♋︎⬧︎♏︎ ♑︎❒︎□︎⬥︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♓︎■︎ ❍︎♏︎📬︎

[I feel a deep unease growing in me.]

***

Entry Number 6

✋︎ ♐︎♋︎●︎●︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ ⬧︎●︎♏︎♏︎◻︎📬︎

[I fall in and out of sleep.]

💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♎︎❒︎♏︎♋︎❍︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ □︎❒︎♎︎♓︎■︎♋︎❒︎⍓︎ ♎︎❒︎♏︎♋︎❍︎⬧︎📬︎

[Sometimes I dream, though they are not ordinary dreams.]

☞︎●︎♋︎⬧︎♒︎♏︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♐︎❒︎♋︎♑︎❍︎♏︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎♏︎□︎◻︎●︎♏︎ ✋︎ □︎■︎♍︎♏︎ 🙵■︎♏︎⬥︎ ⬥︎♏︎●︎●︎📬︎ 💧︎♍︎♋︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ❍︎♏︎❍︎□︎❒︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ●︎♓︎❖︎♏︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ■︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ●︎♓︎❖︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[Flashes and fragments of the people I once knew well. Scattered memories of lives I never lived.]

☟︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎♋︎■︎⍓︎ ♓︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎♋︎❍︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎✍︎ ☟︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎♋︎■︎⍓︎ ⧫︎⬥︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎◆︎❒︎■︎⬧︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎●︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♑︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎♋︎●︎♏︎ ◆︎■︎⧫︎♓︎●︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎♋︎❍︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎✍︎

[How many iterations of the same story can there be? How many twists and turns can be dealt a single tale until it is no longer the same story?]

👍︎□︎◆︎■︎⧫︎●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♋︎●︎♏︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎⍓︎□︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎ ✋︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ □︎♐︎📬︎ ✡︎♏︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ♎︎❒︎♏︎♋︎❍︎⬧︎📪︎ ⬧︎♍︎♋︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎📬︎

[Countless tales beyond the Underground I know of. Yet they are like dreams, scattered and distant.]

💣︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♏︎●︎●︎ ❍︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎⬧︎📪︎ ♐︎♋︎●︎●︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♎︎♋︎❒︎🙵■︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎📬︎ 👍︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎◆︎♓︎■︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ □︎◆︎❒︎ ♐︎♓︎❒︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♒︎□︎❍︎♏︎📬︎

[My assistants tell me of humans, fallen to the darkness. Come from the ruins of our first home.]

☜︎♋︎♍︎♒︎ ♎︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ⧫︎♏︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♒︎📬︎ ⚐︎♒︎ ✌︎⬧︎♑︎□︎❒︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♋︎⍓︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎■︎♎︎📬︎ ☟︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ❍︎♏︎❒︎♍︎⍓︎ ✋︎ ◻︎❒︎♋︎⍓︎📪︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎⬧︎📬︎📬︎📬︎♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎❒︎⬧︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎❒︎♓︎♍︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ☹︎⚐︎✞︎☜︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎□︎ ♑︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎♋︎❒︎📬︎

[Each dies a terrible death. Oh Asgore. I wish you would stay your hand. Have mercy I pray, not for their souls...but for yours. The price of LOVE is too great to bear.]


	5. NEO

“Come any closer and I’ll have to show you my true form!” declared the boxy form on a single spinning wheel. Its voice was loud and confident, filled with bravado and charm, but there was something about it... Something that wasn’t quite right, that wasn’t quite what it seemed. Perhaps the barest break in the voice? The slight quavering of the arms hidden beneath the movements of the robotic body?

The red-eyed child took a step forward, emotionless, unafraid, determined.

“Fine then!” Mettaton crowed, his voice going slightly higher than one would expect. “Ready? IT’S SHOWTIME!”

From the rectangular form burst something else. Arms and a torso, even legs! A face with an alluring, confident smile. This person...this robot...was beautiful. He stood tall, a cannon affixed to his right arm instead of a hand and laser wings bursting from his back. In the burning, sterile wind of the Core his hair was blown back and his exposed eye socket revealed, sparking with fury.

He was intimidating, fabulous, and threatening. Yet the Child did not hesitate even for a moment. They shot forward and struck, struck once, twice, thrice.

Mettaton’s mouth formed a perfect, lovely, O of shock. There was a long silence before smoke began to billow from deep inside his torso.

“Ah,” he said softly. “Perhaps she should have worked more on the defenses. You may have defeated me, Human. But...you were holding back. I could tell. Yes, Asgore will fall easily to you, but you won’t harm humanity. Will you? You aren’t absolutely evil. If you were trying to be, you messed up, and so late into the show too. Ha-” but he got no further. The Human child had held up a hand, forestalling any more speech. Their eyes were red, but dead. Lacking anything within them at all. Just empty. Their toneless whisper echoed in the lonely chamber.

“There is no point. No one left. Then we will begin again.”

Mettaton stared at the child, confused. What did they mean by that? What could they- but he never had the chance to ponder any further for the engine that beat in their chest at last gave in and exploded as the buildup of fumes became too much for it. Shrapnel was scattered about the room.

Most warriors would have been victorious, would have cheered at their own victory. But the human child simply moved forward in silence. One more. One more and they would begin again.

***

Entry Number 7

✋︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ✋︎ ●︎♋︎⬧︎⧫︎ ⬥︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎ ♏︎■︎⧫︎❒︎⍓︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ 🙰□︎◆︎❒︎■︎♋︎●︎📬︎

[It has been a long time since I last wrote an entry in this journal.]

✋︎ ⬧︎●︎♏︎♏︎◻︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎♓︎□︎♎︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📪︎ ⬥︎♋︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ❒︎♋︎❒︎♏︎●︎⍓︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ♒︎□︎⬥︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎♑︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ⬧︎❍︎♋︎●︎●︎ ❒︎□︎□︎❍︎📬︎

[I sleep for long periods of time, waking only rarely to see how the world has progressed outside my small room.]

🕈︎♏︎📪︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ✋︎📪︎ ♍︎❒︎♋︎♐︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♏︎❖︎♓︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎⬧︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♏︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎📬︎

[We, my assistants and I, crafted a device to measure the resets of that terrible creature.]

💧︎♒︎♋︎◻︎♏︎♎︎ ⬧︎♓︎❍︎♓︎●︎♋︎❒︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎■︎ □︎●︎♎︎ ⬧︎⧫︎⍓︎●︎♏︎ ◻︎□︎♍︎🙵♏︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♋︎⧫︎♍︎♒︎ ♓︎⧫︎ 🙵♏︎♏︎◻︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕆︎■︎♓︎❖︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎📪︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎♋︎♓︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎ ♎︎♏︎⬧︎◻︎♓︎⧫︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎

[Shaped similar to an old style pocket watch it keeps the time better than the Universe itself, remaining constant despite the resetting and resetting.]

✋︎⧫︎ ♋︎●︎⬧︎□︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♏︎♋︎♍︎♒︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎ ❒︎♏︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎■︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎ ◻︎❒︎♏︎❖︎♓︎□︎◆︎⬧︎ ◻︎□︎♓︎■︎⧫︎📬︎

[It also counts each time the world returns to a previous point.]

💧︎◆︎♍︎♒︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♏︎❖︎♓︎♍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♎︎♓︎♐︎♐︎♓︎♍︎◆︎●︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♍︎❒︎♋︎♐︎⧫︎📬︎ ✋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♓︎❍︎◻︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ✋︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♎︎♓︎⬧︎♍︎□︎❖︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎♍︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎⍓︎□︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♌︎♋︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♏︎❒︎📬︎

[Such a device was difficult to craft. It would have been impossible had I not discovered what was taking place beyond the barrier.]

🕈︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ■︎♏︎⬥︎♐︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎●︎♏︎♎︎♑︎♏︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎♏︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⧫︎♍︎♒︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎◻︎♏︎❒︎●︎⍓︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♐︎♏︎●︎●︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎●︎◆︎❍︎♌︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♒︎♓︎●︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♓︎♍︎🙵♏︎♎︎ □︎■︎📬︎

[With my newfound knowledge I set the watch properly and fell into slumber while it ticked on.]

☟︎□︎⬥︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎ ⬥︎♓︎●︎●︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♌︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♐︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♓︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ♓︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♑︎♋︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎✍︎

[How long will it be before the creature tires of its games?]

***

Entry Number 8

💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[Something has changed.]

🕈︎♒︎♓︎●︎♏︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎●︎♏︎◻︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ☞︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ □︎■︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ ⬧︎◻︎♏︎♋︎🙵⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎◆︎❒︎■︎⬧︎ ♌︎♋︎♍︎🙵 ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📪︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ❍︎♋︎♎︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎ ♏︎❒︎❒︎□︎❒︎📬︎

[While I slept that Flower, the one who speaks and turns back time, it has made an error.]

💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎♒︎□︎⬥︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ●︎□︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♍︎□︎■︎⧫︎❒︎□︎●︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎⧫︎ □︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ◻︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[Somehow it has lost control of the power it once possessed.]

❄︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ◻︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎📬︎

[That power to reset.]

🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ❒︎♏︎●︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ 👎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎✍︎ 💣︎⍓︎ ⬧︎⧫︎◆︎♎︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♐︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ✋︎ ♐︎♏︎●︎●︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 👍︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ♒︎♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎♑︎♏︎ ♋︎♌︎♓︎●︎♓︎⧫︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ ♓︎■︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ♏︎⌧︎♍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♏︎❍︎□︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎📬︎

[Perhaps it is related to Determination? My studies before I fell into the Core hinted at strange abilities in humans who had excess of the emotion.]

✋︎ ♋︎❍︎ ⬧︎♋︎♐︎♏︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♍︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎📬︎ ☟︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎□︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎♐︎ ✋︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ❒︎♏︎⧫︎♋︎♓︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ❍︎♏︎❍︎□︎❒︎⍓︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⬧︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎■︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎⬧︎♓︎♎︎♏︎ ♓︎⧫︎📪︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♌︎□︎♎︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♐︎❒︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎❒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⬥︎♋︎❒︎◻︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♌︎◆︎❒︎■︎♓︎■︎♑︎ 👎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♐︎◆︎♏︎●︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 👍︎□︎❒︎♏︎📬︎

[I am safe here in this cave outside of time. However... I wonder if I could retain my memory of the resets even outside it, as my body has been fractured through time and warped by the burning Determination that fuels the Core.]

✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♑︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎📬︎📬︎📬︎

[I digress...]

✌︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♐︎♋︎●︎●︎♏︎■︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎📬︎ 💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎♒︎□︎⬥︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎□︎●︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ☞︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎🕯︎⬧︎ ♋︎♌︎♓︎●︎♓︎⧫︎⍓︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎📬︎

[A human child has fallen into the Underground. Somehow they have stolen the Flower's ability to reset.]

☟︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎⬧︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♏︎♋︎⬧︎⍓︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♎︎♏︎♍︎♓︎◻︎♒︎♏︎❒︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎■︎♏︎❖︎□︎●︎♏︎■︎⧫︎📬︎

[Humans are not easy creatures to decipher. The child seems benevolent.]

👌︎◆︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ♒︎♏︎●︎◻︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎ ◆︎■︎♏︎♋︎⬧︎⍓︎📬︎

[But I cannot help but feel uneasy.]

✌︎●︎♋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♎︎□︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♍︎□︎■︎⧫︎♓︎■︎◆︎♏︎ ◻︎♓︎♏︎♍︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❍︎⍓︎⬧︎♏︎●︎♐︎ ⧫︎□︎♑︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♋︎♓︎♎︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ⬥︎♋︎⧫︎♍︎♒︎📬︎

[Alas there is nothing I can do but continue piecing myself together with the aid of my assistants. I can only watch.]

***

Entry Number 9

✋︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ◆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎♎︎📬︎

[I do not understand.]

✋︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ❒︎♏︎♋︎♍︎♒︎ ♋︎■︎ ♏︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ◻︎❒︎♏︎♐︎♏︎❒︎❒︎♏︎♎︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♍︎♏︎♋︎⬧︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎

[I thought that when the human would reach an ending they preferred, they would cease resetting.]

✡︎♏︎⧫︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♎︎♏︎❍︎□︎■︎♓︎♍︎ ♐︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎📬︎

[Yet like the demonic flower, they have not.]

✋︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ⬧︎♋︎♎︎♎︎♏︎■︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ♐︎♓︎❒︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♏︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎📬︎📬︎□︎■︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ⬥︎♒︎♓︎♍︎♒︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♐︎❒︎♓︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ✌︎⬧︎♑︎□︎❒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬧︎◻︎♋︎❒︎♏︎♎︎📬︎

[I was saddened by their first ending...one in which all but my dearest friend Asgore were spared.]

👌︎◆︎⧫︎ ✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♒︎□︎●︎♎︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎📬︎ ☟︎□︎⬥︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ✋︎✍︎ ✋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ❍︎♓︎❒︎♋︎♍︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ❍︎♋︎■︎♋︎♑︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♌︎♏︎♐︎❒︎♓︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ⬧︎□︎ ❍︎♋︎■︎⍓︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ ⬥︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎ ♒︎♋︎❒︎❍︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 😐︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❒︎♏︎♐︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ●︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ 🙵♓︎●︎●︎♏︎♎︎📪︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ⧫︎❒︎♋︎♑︎♏︎♎︎⍓︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ♐︎♋︎◆︎●︎⧫︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬧︎♒︎♋︎●︎●︎ ♍︎♋︎●︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ☠︎♏︎◆︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎●︎ ☜︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎

[But I did not hold it against them. How could I? It was a miracle that they managed to befriend so many monsters who wished them harm. That the King refused to listen and was killed, was a tragedy but not their fault. I shall call this a Neutral Ending.]

❄︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎♐︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ♋︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♍︎♋︎❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎📬︎ 🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ♐︎♏︎⬥︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⧫︎♒︎⬧︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ◻︎♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎✍︎ ✌︎●︎●︎ ◆︎■︎♎︎□︎■︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♑︎●︎♏︎ ❍︎□︎❍︎♏︎■︎⧫︎📬︎

[Then after a time came the reset. Perhaps a few months had passed? All undone in a single moment.]

✌︎■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♍︎♒︎♋︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎⬧︎ ❒︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎ ⬧︎⧫︎❒︎□︎❖︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ♌︎♓︎⧫︎ □︎♐︎ 👎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ⬧︎□︎◆︎●︎📬︎📬︎📬︎⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ❍︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎📬︎📬︎📬︎⧫︎□︎ ♌︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ♌︎♏︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ♏︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎

[Another chance to set things right, the child strove with every bit of Determination in their soul...with all their might...to bring about a better ending.]

❄︎♒︎♏︎ ⧫︎❒︎◆︎♏︎ ■︎♋︎⧫︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ☞︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ❒︎♏︎❖︎♏︎♋︎●︎♏︎♎︎📬︎ 🕈︎♒︎□︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎■︎♑︎ ◻︎❒︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎📪︎ ♋︎ ♑︎♏︎■︎⧫︎●︎♏︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎📪︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎❒︎♋︎■︎⬧︎♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎◆︎♍︎♒︎ ♋︎ ⧫︎♏︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ♎︎♏︎❍︎□︎■︎📬︎ ✡︎♏︎⧫︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♐︎♏︎♏︎●︎ ◻︎♓︎⧫︎⍓︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎ ♒︎♓︎❍︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♓︎⬧︎♒︎ ♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ♐︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎ □︎■︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎□︎■︎♏︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎●︎●︎📬︎

[The true nature of that Flower was revealed. Who would ever have thought the young prince, a gentle child, could have been transformed into such a terrible demon. Yet... I feel pity for him. I would not wish his fate on anyone at all.]

✋︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎❍︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♏︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ♋︎♍︎♒︎♓︎♏︎❖︎♏︎♎︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎⍓︎□︎■︎♎︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♑︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♎︎❒︎♏︎♋︎❍︎⬧︎📬︎ ✌︎ ⬧︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♏︎❍︎◻︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ❍︎♏︎❒︎♍︎⍓︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⧫︎❒︎◆︎♏︎ ◻︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ 👎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎❍︎♓︎■︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ♌︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ♌︎♋︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♏︎❒︎ ⬧︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎●︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎⬧︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ ✋︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎ ●︎□︎❖︎♏︎♎︎ ⬥︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♋︎♌︎●︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♑︎□︎ ♐︎❒︎♏︎♏︎📬︎ ✌︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎♐︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎ 🏱︎♋︎♍︎♓︎♐︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎ ☜︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎

[It seemed to me that the ending the child had achieved was beyond my greatest dreams. A story tempered by mercy and the true power that Determination can bring. The barrier shattered and all those who I had long loved were able to go free. A perfect Pacifist Ending.]

✋︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♏︎■︎♎︎ □︎♐︎ ♓︎⧫︎📬︎ 👌︎◆︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ♐︎♏︎⬥︎ ⬧︎♒︎□︎❒︎⧫︎ ♎︎♋︎⍓︎⬧︎ ●︎♋︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎📪︎ ♒︎♋︎❒︎♎︎●︎⍓︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎●︎●︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ 🕈︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♑︎□︎■︎♏︎ ⬥︎❒︎□︎■︎♑︎✍︎

[I thought that was the end of it. But a few short days later, hardly any time at all, the world reset again. What could have gone wrong?]

❄︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎□︎❒︎⍓︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎⍓︎♏︎♎︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ ☞︎♓︎❒︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ☠︎♏︎◆︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎●︎ ☜︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎ 🏱︎♋︎♍︎♓︎♐︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎📬︎ ☜︎♋︎♍︎♒︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ ●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ●︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ♌︎♏︎⧫︎⬥︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♏︎♋︎♍︎♒︎ ⧫︎□︎⧫︎♋︎●︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎📬︎

[The story played again and again. First a Neutral Ending and then a Pacifist. Each time there was less and less time between each total reset.]

❄︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ■︎♏︎⬥︎ ♌︎♏︎♑︎♋︎■︎📬︎ 💧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♒︎□︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♐︎⍓︎♓︎■︎♑︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ☟︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ 🙰◆︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♋︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎📪︎ ♌︎♏︎♑︎♋︎■︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❍︎◆︎❒︎♎︎♏︎❒︎ ♏︎♋︎♍︎♒︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♍︎♋︎❍︎♏︎ ♋︎♍︎❒︎□︎⬧︎⬧︎📬︎ ☝︎♏︎■︎□︎♍︎♓︎♎︎♏︎📪︎ □︎❒︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ■︎♏︎♋︎❒︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♍︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♑︎♏︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎♍︎♒︎♓︎♏︎❖︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♓︎⧫︎📬︎

[Then something new began. Something horrifying. The Human, though just a child, began to murder each and every monster they came across. Genocide, or as near as they could get to achieving it.]

🕈︎♋︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♓︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎♓︎❒︎ ♐︎♓︎■︎♋︎●︎ ♏︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎✍︎ ✌︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎ ♎︎♏︎❖︎□︎♓︎♎︎ □︎♐︎ ❍︎□︎■︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎ ●︎♓︎♐︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ □︎■︎♏︎ ♒︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎ ♑︎□︎■︎♏︎ ♐︎❒︎♏︎♏︎✍︎

[Was this their final ending? A world devoid of monster life and one human gone free?]

☠︎□︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ ✌︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ ✌︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎ ✌︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎

[No. They reset again. And again. And again. And again.]

🕈︎♒︎⍓︎ ♎︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎✍︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎📬︎ ✋︎ ⬥︎□︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ●︎□︎⬧︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎⬧︎♏︎●︎❖︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♏︎❍︎□︎■︎♓︎♍︎ ⧫︎♏︎❍︎◻︎♏︎❒︎♋︎❍︎♏︎■︎⧫︎ ♌︎□︎❒︎■︎ □︎♐︎ ◻︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎ □︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎□︎❒︎●︎♎︎📪︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎■︎♑︎ ◻︎❒︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ♋︎⬧︎ ♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♏︎♎︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎❍︎ □︎♐︎ ♋︎ ♎︎♏︎❍︎□︎■︎♓︎♍︎ ♐︎●︎□︎⬥︎♏︎❒︎✍︎ ⚐︎❒︎ ◻︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♌︎♏︎⍓︎□︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♌︎♋︎❒︎❒︎♓︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♐︎❒︎♓︎♑︎♒︎⧫︎♏︎■︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎✍︎

[Why do they reset? I do not know. I wonder if they have lost themselves to a demonic temperament born of power over the world, like the young prince as he wandered in the form of a demonic flower? Or perhaps there is something beyond the barrier that frightens them?]

✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ⍓︎♏︎⧫︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♐︎♏︎❒︎♏︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ◻︎❒︎□︎♑︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎ ⧫︎□︎ ◻︎♓︎♏︎♍︎♏︎ ❍︎♏︎ ♌︎♋︎♍︎🙵 ⧫︎□︎♑︎♏︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ ⧫︎□︎□︎ ●︎□︎■︎♑︎📬︎ 🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎ ❍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎♋︎♑︎♏︎ □︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎□︎■︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎❒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎✍︎

[I cannot yet interfere, the progress to piece me back together is taking too long. Perhaps I can send a message out to someone through my assistants?]


	6. Reset

“Oh...Heya. You’ve been busy, huh?”

The hallway was filled with the golden light of sun. High high in the mountain peaks there were openings that let down shafts of light into the underground below. They fell upon a city now hushed, empty, lonely. Through windows bearing the Deltarune, an angel descending from above in a legend that was no more than a forgotten hope for freedom, the light came spilling.

The hall was the very last. It had long been called the Hall of Judgement, though nobody could ever remember why the King had named it that. Only two stood there now, in the light.

“So, I got a question for you. Do you think even the worst person can change? That everyone can be a good person, if they just try?”

The human child did not answer, and the skeleton started to say something else...and then he stopped.

“What’s the point? You’ll just kill me eventually and then start over. Do you really hate us that much? We were friends once, I thought. A long time ago. I don’t even know how many resets, hundreds maybe? Thousands? And for what? What do you get out of this?“ When the human child still did not answer...Sans ground his jaw and rattled his bones in fury. “Answer me, Frisk!”

At last the child stirred. “Frisk is gone,” they said.

Sans stared, “Then...Chara?” he asked quietly. But the child shook their head.

“No. Chara possessed this body for a time, reveling in the violence, but they too passed onward eventually.”

“Then who are you?”

The Child shook their head. “I am no one. Not anymore. Just an empty shell, soulless. Even Flowey has ceased speaking with me, preferring to hide in the ruins. All that remains of this human is just...Determination.”

The silence was deafening. The skeleton shook his head. “Determination to do what? We had a happy ending already. What did you even stand to gain after all this time? Repeating our deaths over and over again, forever?”

“Come with me, Sans. I’ll show you why.”

And so they walked on together. The last remnants of a human child long since gone and a skeleton who was so tired of fighting.

They passed by the King without a word, he sat upon his throne and seemed to not even see them as they went, his eyes closed and his brow furrowed.

To the Barrier. To the Barrier. To the Barrier.

Through the shimmering veil a strange light shines into the Underground. Twilight is shining through the barrier, the sun is setting. In silence they watch as it sinks below the horizon...the distant lights of a city glitter in the growing dark...and then...

Everything goes black. The only remaining light is the shimmering veil of the Barrier.

“I don’t understand,” says Sans.

The child does not look at him. “I made a mistake. I thought that when I did a reset, it would turn the whole world back. But that power only ever worked in the Underground where all the magic of monsters was concentrated. Time outside...continued onward, without us.”

“How many resets?”

“I don’t know. I can’t remember. That first time Frisk killed out of frustration...something strange happened. The magic of the barrier was warped by the hate of a living human...and a dead human lingering on. It changed the spell. Not enough to break it. Seven souls were needed for that. But enough to change it a little, and each reset after that only slowed us down while the outside sped up. If I waited too long the loop ended and the light, water, and garbage that sustained life in the underground would stop coming in. Everyone would die anyway. If I left you to your own devices for too long, you began to notice and lose what little hope you had left. The few who could remember beyond the resets would have gone mad.”

Sans turned from the Barrier to look at the Child. “But that’s just me. I’m the only one who can remember, and I wasn’t able to until deep into the resets. I-” he stopped as the child was already shaking their head. “There are others?”

“It doesn’t matter. I must reset or this world will perish.”

“Frisk?”

“I am not Frisk.”

“I’m afraid.”

“...I know.”

***

Entry Number 10

✋︎ ♒︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ❍︎♋︎♎︎♏︎ ♍︎□︎■︎⧫︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎📬︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ☼︎♓︎❖︎♏︎❒︎◻︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎□︎■︎📬︎ ✌︎ ❍︎⍓︎⬧︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♓︎□︎◆︎⬧︎ ♐︎♓︎♑︎◆︎❒︎♏︎📬︎ 🕈︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎✍︎ 🕈︎♒︎□︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎✍︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎📬︎

[I have made contact. The Riverperson. A mysterious figure. What are they? Who are they? I do not know.]

⚐︎●︎♎︎ ⬧︎⧫︎□︎❒︎♓︎♏︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ♋︎ ♒︎□︎□︎♎︎♏︎♎︎ ♐︎♓︎♑︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ ♌︎❒︎♓︎■︎♑︎⬧︎ ♎︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♒︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎●︎●︎ ●︎♓︎■︎♑︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎■︎ ☟︎◆︎❍︎♋︎■︎♓︎⧫︎⍓︎🕯︎⬧︎ ♍︎□︎●︎●︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎❖︎♏︎ ❍︎♏︎❍︎□︎❒︎⍓︎📬︎

[Old stories of a hooded figure who brings death still linger in Humanity's collective memory.]

🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ♋︎ ♐︎♏︎♋︎❒︎⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎❒︎❒︎♓︎□︎❒︎ ♐︎❒︎□︎❍︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎❒︎✍︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⬧︎♋︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ☼︎♓︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ 🏱︎♏︎❒︎⬧︎□︎■︎ ♒︎♋︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♓︎■︎♑︎ ◻︎♏︎□︎◻︎●︎♏︎ ◆︎◻︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎□︎⬥︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♓︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ □︎◆︎❒︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ♐︎♓︎❒︎⬧︎⧫︎ ♎︎♋︎⍓︎ ♓︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ 🕆︎■︎♎︎♏︎❒︎♑︎❒︎□︎◆︎■︎♎︎📬︎

[Perhaps a fearsome warrior from the war? They say the River Person has been taking people up and down the river since our very first day in the Underground.]

🕈︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ ⬧︎◻︎□︎🙵♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♋︎●︎❒︎♏︎♋︎♎︎⍓︎ 🙵■︎♏︎⬥︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⬧︎📬︎ ☟︎♋︎♎︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ⧫︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎◻︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♋︎♑︎♋︎♓︎■︎📬︎

[When my assistants spoke with them, they already knew of the resets. Had seen time repeating again and again.]

❄︎♒︎❒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ❍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎♋︎♑︎♏︎ ✋︎ ♋︎⬧︎🙵♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎□︎ ❍︎♏︎📪︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ❒︎♏︎♐︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♑︎□︎ ♐︎◆︎❒︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♓︎❖︎♏︎❒︎♌︎♋︎■︎🙵⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎◻︎♏︎♋︎🙵 ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎ □︎■︎●︎⍓︎ ♌︎⍓︎ ⬧︎♏︎■︎♎︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ❍︎♏︎⬧︎⬧︎♋︎♑︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎❒︎□︎◆︎♑︎♒︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♋︎⬧︎⬧︎♓︎⬧︎⧫︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎📬︎ 🏱︎♏︎❒︎♒︎♋︎◻︎⬧︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎ ⬧︎♏︎⧫︎ ◆︎◻︎ ♋︎ ◻︎♒︎□︎■︎♏︎ ●︎♓︎■︎♏︎ ⬧︎□︎❍︎♏︎♒︎□︎⬥︎✍︎ ✋︎ ■︎♏︎♏︎♎︎ ⧫︎□︎ ♑︎♏︎⧫︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎■︎♎︎⬧︎ □︎■︎ ♋︎ ♍︎♏︎●︎●︎◆︎●︎♋︎❒︎ ♎︎♏︎❖︎♓︎♍︎♏︎📬︎

[Through message I asked them to come to me, but they refused to go further than the riverbanks. I can speak with them only by sending messages through my assistants. Perhaps I can set up a phone line somehow? I need to get my hands on a cellular device.]

🕈︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ✋︎ ♋︎⬧︎🙵♏︎♎︎ ⬥︎♒︎⍓︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎⬧︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⧫︎□︎●︎♎︎ ❍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬥︎♋︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ●︎♓︎⧫︎⧫︎●︎♏︎ ♓︎■︎⧫︎♏︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎❍︎📬︎ ☼︎♏︎⬧︎♏︎⧫︎ □︎❒︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ♒︎♋︎♎︎■︎🕯︎⧫︎ ♎︎□︎■︎♏︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎⧫︎♒︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ♌︎◆︎⧫︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♏︎ ◻︎♏︎□︎◻︎●︎♏︎ ◆︎◻︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ♎︎□︎⬥︎■︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ❒︎♓︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♋︎❒︎📪︎ ♋︎■︎♎︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♎︎□︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♏︎❖︎♏︎❒︎ ♓︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ❍︎◆︎⬧︎⧫︎📬︎

[When I asked why they did nothing about the resets, they told me that it was of little interest to them. Reset or not they hadn't done anything but take people up and down the river since the war, and they would do that forever if they must.]

⚐︎■︎♏︎ ◻︎♒︎❒︎♋︎⬧︎♏︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎⍓︎ ⬧︎♋︎♓︎♎︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♋︎❒︎⧫︎●︎♏︎♎︎ ❍︎♏︎ ♑︎❒︎♏︎♋︎⧫︎●︎⍓︎📬︎ ✂︎🕆︎■︎⧫︎♓︎●︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ✌︎■︎♑︎♏︎●︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎✂︎

[One phrase they said startled me greatly. "Until the Angel comes."]

🕈︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ✌︎■︎♑︎♏︎●︎✍︎ ✋︎ ❍︎◆︎⬧︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎📬︎

[What Angel? I must know more.]


	7. Detemmienation and The Great Papyrus

He hadn’t left the house for days. Maybe weeks. A number of resets had come and gone and no amount of knocking had gotten him up from his bed. There hadn’t been any Genocide Routes, he knew that. There would have been calls from Alphys, and Papyrus would have tried harder to get him out of the room. But still, Sans couldn’t bring himself to rise away from the mattress, or even to untangle the sheets that were rolled into a massive ball. He just sat there, trying to forget the things he now knew. The things he didn’t want to know at all, that he wished he hadn’t learned.

It took Papyrus hammering on the door and practically shrieking his name to move him. He opened the door to find his younger brother looking baffled and disconcerted.

“SANS,” he said. “WHY IS THE HOUSE FILLED WITH THE TEMMIES?”

There was a long moment of silence where Sans tried to process what Papyrus had said. Finally the only thing he was able to get out was, “What?”

“TEMMIES, SANS! THEY’RE ALL OVER THE HOUSE AND THEY’VE EATEN ALL MY SPAGHETTI, NOT THAT I’M NOT FLATTERED, MIND YOU. BUT THAT WAS OUR DINNER, AND I’M GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THE STORE AGAIN AND-”

“Wait wait wait,” interrupted Sans. “Did they say why they’re here? Or anything that made sense?”

“THEY SAID THEY CAME TO VISIT YOU. THERE WAS ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT TEM FLAKES BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. DO YOU THINK ITS A BREAKFAST CEREAL?”

Sans peered out from behind his brother and down at the rest of the house, which was indeed filled with Temmies. Swinging from every piece of furniture, watching tv, feeding the pet rock. Bob was having fun with the book on the table. He’d found that it contained a joke book, which contained another science book, which contained another joke book, and so on. 

There were no less than seven Temmies eating spaghetti with relish.

“Wow, I guess they really do want something. They’re probably filled with detemmienation.”

Papyrus groaned and Sans slipped back into his room to get dressed. This had never happened before, the resets had never changed beyond the three variations. Only the human ever changed and they still followed the same three stories they had always followed. Pacifist, neutral, or genocide. But this...this was something new, something different. For the first time in a very long time he felt a spark of excitement.

***

“So,” said Sans as he popped into existence in the only unoccupied chair of the kitchen, his feet firmly planted on the table. Papyrus, who was making more spaghetti with the last of what they had in the fridge, gave his pink carpet slippers a glare but didn’t comment. “You came to visit me?”

The Temmies squealed in excitement and practically bounced around the room a bit with the energy contained in their white furry bodies. Not for the first time, Sans wondered what they were supposed to be. A little like a cat, a little like a dog, and somehow nothing like either one at all. Most monsters viewed them as being harmless, and certainly the Temmies had never done anything to change that view. But here they were, as if countless resets of following the same patterns didn’t matter in the least.

One Temmie, who seemed to be a sort of leader among them, looked at him as she spoke. “Hoi! I is Tem! This is my friend, Temmie! And Temmie! And Temmie! And Temmie!” Each Temmie was predictably introduced as ‘Temmie’ until the very end. “And this is Bob.”

“H’lo.” Said Bob, only half paying attention. He was still studying the matryoshka books that Sans had left out weeks before to prank Papyrus.

“I’m Sans. But I’m guessing you know that because you came to visit me.”

"fhsdhjfdsfjsddshjfsd,” said the Temmie looking flustered. She didn’t seem to be a fan of his humor. Maybe he should stick to the puns. But she recovered herself quickly, giving him a shrewd look that belied her generally silly demeanor. “Why did you stop? Where did you go?” 

Sans froze. They couldn’t know about the resets, could they? Of all monsters the Temmies could remember as time repeated itself again and again? His eyes flicked to Papyrus, but his brother didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the conversation and was engaged in boiling the noodles.

“I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately,” he informed the Temmie loftily. “Haven’t had time to focus on things.” Hopefully that could be interpreted as being about his sentry job that he’d been neglecting as well.

With a sharp glance from him to Papyrus, he could tell the Temmie had correctly gauged that Papyrus didn’t know. The smile she gave him made him uneasy. “awwAwa!!! Don’t like that. Come back!! Tem is not done!!”

Sans opened his mouth to argue that he didn’t feel like coming back or fighting anyone ever again, especially if they were just doing this on repeat forever without a reason, when something about what the monster in front of him had just said struck him.

“What do you mean, Not done? What are you doing?”

That smile grew bigger. For such an adorable fuzzy monster, the Temmies sure had sharp teeth. “Easier to make strong memories last in a bad timeline. Not in us, we remember. But others...”

A sudden chill was in the room, and only the sounds of cooking utensils scraping against pots and plates made any sound at all. Was he dreaming? This was a nightmare right? Why would the Temmies want to make others remember the resets? Wasn’t it bad enough that he could remember? That they could remember?

He jumped a little as Papyrus set a dish of spaghetti down in front of him. Without taking his eyes off the Temmie in front of him he absently took a bite of it and choked in surprise. This...was good? When had Papyrus gotten so good? Turning he looked at his brother, who calmly...Calmly?!

Yes...Papyrus stood there quite calmly, though his skeletal grin was as huge as ever, his eyes only glowed very softly in amusement.

“WHEN YOU PRACTICE ENOUGH OF ANYTHING, SANS.” said Papyrus. “YOU GET QUITE GOOD AT IT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE’S ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD TO DO IT.”

Sans and the Temmies stared at him in blank shock, and Sans felt a gnawing pit of guilt and horror open up in his nonexistent stomach. Papyrus already knew about the Resets. 

“How long-”

“HOW LONG HAVE I KNOWN ABOUT THE RESETS?” Papyrus finished for him before he could get all the words out. Sans nodded dumbly, not trusting himself to speak.

“NOT LONG. YOU LOCKED YOURSELF IN YOUR ROOM AND REFUSED TO COME OUT. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. SO I BECAME DETERMINED TO HELP.” The skeleton sighed, a far cry from his usual perpetual cheerfulness. “THAT’S WHERE THINGS STARTED. MY DETERMINATION. I WAS SO DETERMINED TO HELP YOU GET BETTER SOMEHOW, TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG THAT WHEN THE RESET HAPPENED....I REMEMBERED.”

Sans stared at him, but in his mind he could suddenly picture exactly how it must have gone. Papyrus spending all day trying to get him out of his room, calling and talking to Undyne or Alphys, anyone to find out if something had happened. Ignoring his duty as a sentry, buying food for the house in the hopes that eating something might help his brother. Only to find that in an instant...it was all undone. No one remembering anything, as if it had all been a dream. 

“IT WASN’T TOO HARD TO FIGURE IT OUT AFTER THAT. I ALWAYS KNEW YOU HAD STUDIES ABOUT SPACE AND TIME. LEFT OVER FROM WHEN YOU WORKED AT THE LAB IN HOTLANDS... AND THEN I CAUGHT FLOWEY.”

What?! Sans glanced up, worried. What had that miserable little demon done now? He’d almost forgotten about the prince turned flower. It had been a long time since he’d even heard from him. In the beginning he’d participated in the genocide runs, or fought against the pacifist runs. But when it turned to endless genocide...hundreds of runs over and over again...he had vanished entirely.

Papyrus noticed his worry. “HE DID NOT HURT ME. I THINK HE WAS ACTUALLY AFRAID OF ME. I FORCED HIM TO TELL ME EVERYTHING. ABOUT THE POWER OF RESET. OF THE HUMAN. OF THE THINGS HE DID. ABOUT YOU. HE DIDN’T KNOW HOW MANY RESETS THERE HAVE BEEN, BUT MORE THAN A THOUSAND. FAR MORE.

“AND THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MORE I TRIED TO REMEMBER...THINGS STARTED TO COME BACK A BIT. LIKE A BAD DREAM. BUT NICE THINGS CAME TOO. I MUST HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF PRACTICE AT COOKING WITH UNDYNE, BECAUSE MY SPAGHETTI, WHICH WAS ALREADY AMAZING, IS SOMEHOW EVEN MORE AMAZING.”

So...that was that. There was nothing else to hide. Not from Papy anyway. All his efforts to keep his brother happy, to shield him from the insanity of looping time and murder. And it was all his fault.

“Can you...” he said. “Can you forgive me for lying?”

It would be justified if Papyrus didn’t. If his brother refused to speak to him ever again, Sans knew he would deserve it. He could have asked for help at any time, at least let someone know. Maybe they could have done something. Suddenly he understood why the Temmies might want someone other than themselves to remember. Even if nothing worked, at least they weren’t alone.

“OF COURSE I FORGIVE YOU, BROTHER! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WOULDN’T BE HALF AS GREAT AS I AM IF I WERE NOT FORGIVING! I WANTED TO HELP YOU, AND THAT HAS NOT CHANGED!”

Sans couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re the coolest, bro.” he said. He turned to look at the Temmie across from him, the one who led the others. In all his worry about Papyrus he’d forgotten about her. The face she was wearing was not encouraging at all, she was looking as if she’d struck gold.

“Determination,” she whispered, her eyes shining with glee. 

“No, No. You stop right there.” Sans said, pointing his finger at the Temmie, whose eyes crossed as she tried to look at his finger while it was right in front of her nose. Looking slightly dizzy she sat back.

He gave a sigh, the Temmies might be pacifists now. But he’d heard the old stories, seen the history books in school. Blood soaked wars and powerful magic were always deeply involved whenever mention of the supposedly innocent monsters surfaced. Once they had even commanded the Dragon Armies against the invading Micarans, but that was before the Dragons had vanished altogether, refusing to take part in any more wars.

It seemed that once again they were itching to involve themselves. But he wasn’t about to let that happen without setting some ground rules.

“First of all,” he said. “I can’t stop you from trying to spark people’s memories. But you’re not allowed to kill anyone to do it. The human-” or rather...the thing that used to be human. “The human proved they can do the resets without murdering and still make it work, so I’ll see if I can talk them into keeping it that way.”

Something flashed in the Tem’s eyes that might have been fury, but it was gone in a moment. Now she just looked confused. “How we going to do it without bad memories? Whats more determined than trying to survive?”

Welp, she had him there. He needed help. Papyrus would be willing, but they needed someone with more knowledge of determination and resets.

He snapped his fingers. Alphys, she would do. She’d worked alongside him during the old days at the lab. He still wasn’t sure how she’d managed to become the Royal Scientist after he left, but she must have proved herself somehow. She deserved it, she always had, even when she didn’t think so.

“I have a plan,” he told them. His smile, which was always cheerful, was almost wider somehow, more gleeful.


	8. Hotland Cocoa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how consistently I'll update this next. But it won't be too long. I'm on a roll here.

Alphys was having trouble processing all of it. Time Resets, genocide, pacifist, evil flowers, humans. It was a lot to take in all at once. She’d gotten up and made herself a cup of hot chocolate, filled with an excessive amount of whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles, pouring so much of the latter on that you could hardly see the white of the cream beneath and the hot chocolate was obscured entirely. While Papyrus had looked upon this sugary masterpiece with delight, Sans had looked vaguely sickened by it. But he hadn’t said a word, and she liked the taste so she didn’t care what he thought. After all, he was a slob who drank ketchup. It wasn’t even a beverage! Sans had no room to judge.

“So what you’re saying is...” she paused to lick a bit of the sprinkled whipped cream from the top of the mug. “The ability to make time reset itself...in the Underground, is linked to Determination? And carrying on memories through the Resets is directly affected by how much determination a person has at the time of the Reset?”

Sans nodded. Alphys had always been quick. “Yeah. Since the... ‘Thing’ can’t stop the resets now without letting us all die, then there’s no point in hiding it from everyone. At least with their memories their lives will be somewhat normal...”

If it was normal to have the world itself reset around you while you still remembered how everything was before. To have food unmade, hard work undone, even a diary entry vanished away like nothing at all. They could live well enough, but they’d have to get used to nothing they did to the world being permanent.

“And how, Sans. Are we supposed to live normal lives with a human coming through and murdering everyone every few weeks?” Alphys glared at him, her usual lack of confidence was fading, and he knew that was a sign she was already deeply invested in this.

Sans let his perpetual smile widen a little and gave her a wink. “Well I was thinking I could convince the human to stop genocide entirely. They don’t need it to do the resets, and they don’t care about anything else anymore. So I’m hoping they won’t mind. I’m going to go try and catch them before they leave the ruins again, and tibia honest...I’ve got a bone to pick with them.”

The saurian gave a derisive snort at the puns and Sans could feel Papyrus’ glaring eyes from behind him. Oh this was fun, he thought as he suppressed a giggle. Perhaps the puns weren’t new, exactly. But the situation was new enough and that was really all that mattered.

He watched as Alphys abandoned her half finished Coco, the whipped cream having already melted away leaving a thick coat of sprinkles atop the hot, brown liquid, and scurried here and there through her lab and workroom, gathering notes and searching for folders.

It took three piles of the stuff on the table before she seemed satisfied enough to sit back down and start going through them. Leaning close Sans could decipher some of the writing on one of the books, despite it being upside down from where he was sitting.

“DT Extraction Machine... Test 36: Breakdown of the-” but he didn’t get to read any further because Alphys pulled away the documents with a frown.

“You quit, Sans. These are top secret.” At a raised eyebrow from him she huffed irritably. “I suppose I can summarize since this is your project. The lab has already done some experimental work with Determination. The machine was successful, but...” She faltered, suddenly looking afraid, cornered. As if she’d said too much in her excitement and was beginning to regret it.

“But?” asked Sans. If it weren’t important he wouldn’t press her like this. But really there weren’t many choices here.

For a long moment Alphys seemed to struggle, as if she was trying to force out words that wouldn’t come. Finally her shoulders sagged and she looked defeated. “It’ll be better if I just show you.”

***

Darkness. That was what awaited when the silver doors of the elevator slid open without a sound. Even Papyrus hesitated to step from the well lit elevator into the shadows beyond, the shadows that almost called to them, beckoned them.

Suddenly light flooded their senses and Sans blinked. Alphys had flipped the switch. She seemed nervous, but she quickly beckoned them forward, looking like she was too afraid that she would lose her nerve if she didn’t finish this as quickly as possible.

Through corridors they followed her until they reached a large open room filled with beds. Both brothers froze at the sight that awaited them.

When monsters fell down and became close to death...they would begin to flake away into dust. This felt similar, but horribly different. It was as if someone had let a candle burn to long and the wax had begun to melt and reshape itself from the heat.

It was similar, thought Sans, to what Undyne looked like when she fought her final battle against a genocidal human...

Papyrus broke free of their shock first and took a step forward, and then another step. He approached one of the creatures, one that seemed strangely familiar.

“I KNOW YOU,” he said as softly as he could. “YOU’RE SNOWDRAKE’S MOTHER.”

The creature, who had tensed up at the skeleton’s approach, relaxed and stepped hopefully towards him. “ Sn... o... wy... ?” it asked in a quavery voice.

Oh, now he knew what was going on. It wasn’t hard. Determination experiments, monsters who had fallen down. He could still remember a time when families had heard that their relatives had recovered somehow, but then had never heard back from the labs about them. Nothing had ever come of it all because the human had come and the resets begun.

He put a hand on Alphys’ shoulder and she turned to him, looking afraid and surprised all at once.

“Hey hey. No need to get worked up. You made a mistake, but we all made mistakes. I’m guessing you were only working off our old experiments?”

Alphys somehow looked even guiltier, but she nodded. “I was just trying to find something, anything, that would help. A-a-and I-” she was beginning to stutter again as her anxiety rose. But Sans simply waved her back into silence.

“I have a feeling that their families will be happy to see them alive at all. And who knows? Maybe being outside will be good for them, instead of in here in the dark. I don’t think anyone could blame you for making a mistake when you were just trying to help. Right?”

This last he said towards the creatures in the room. Many of them, those that seemed most aware and awake, gave motions of assent, nodding or making sounds of comfort towards the little saurian scientist. Alphys looked so relieved she might cry, but she wasn’t finished yet.

“But we still can’t just dive in. If the balance of DT isn’t just right, then we’ll only end up making more amalgamates. Destroying more lives.”

Papyrus raised his hand, almost as if he were in school, and both Sans and Alphys turned to look at him, waiting. “I KNOW THAT YOU’RE NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LAB ANYMORE, SANS. BUT COULDN’T YOU HELP WITH THE PROJECT? YOU WERE THE THE ONE LEADING THE FIRST RESEARCH TEAM AFTER ALL. YOU AND UNCLE GAS-” He broke off, with a funny expression on his face and then amended his sentence quickly. “I MEAN, THE PREVIOUS ROYAL SCIENTIST.”


End file.
